Posted on 10/30/2003 3:48:36 PM PST by blam
BLOODY KING LINKED TO SAXON BEACH FIND
By Richard Wright
A RARE gold sword belt ornament which could have belonged to the seventh century Saxon king, Caedwalla, has been found on an Island beach - and there could be another hidden under the sands.
Discovery of the intricate gold decoration encrusted with garnets is regarded as being especially historically significant because it could have belonged to the king reputed to have put a quarter of the Island population to the sword in his attempt to convert them to Christianity.
Enthusiast Darren Trickey, 21, had gone out for a few minutes with his metal detector when he came across the find of a lifetime on the beach at Bembridge. Removal man Darren, of Dennett Road, Bembridge, said: "It glowed like it was brand new when I dug it up. "I'm told it could be worth up to £30,000 and I would love it if the IW Council's museum service would bid for it because it would be great to see it displayed on the Island with my name underneath it.
"I have been detecting since I was ten and have found coins and items of modern jewellery but nothing like this. It is fantastic."
At an inquest on Tuesday, Island coroner John Matthews declared the artefact treasure trove, which will enable museums to buy it from Darren.
IW Council archaeological officer Frank Basford told Tuesday's inquest the spectacular gold pyramidal sword belt fitting was the most important artefact to have been found on the Island since the excavation of Anglo Saxon cemeteries of Bowcombe Down and Chessell Down in the mid 19th century.
"The gold fitting has an octagonal base and is decorated with 16 panels divided into cells. Originally these were inlaid with garnets, only one of which now survives. "At the base is a bar through which a leather strap would have been threaded.
"The eigth century historian, the Venerable Bede, credits Caedwalla with converting the Jutish population of the Island to Christianity.
"If this is the case his conversion methods sound rather drastic, as the Island is chronicled as having accepted Christianity some 25 years earlier when it was ruled by the South Saxons.
"As it was found on the beach it may have been dropped by someone visiting or even invading the Island. "We can be confident its owner was of very high rank. The sword belt fitting is particularly fine and its octagonal form makes it a unique example. It is possible it belonged to Caedwalla himself and it is also possible there is another under the beach because they were worn as pairs."
· When other metal detecting enthusiasts had packed up and gone home, Terry Orme's persistence paid off with the discovery of an important 15th century ring, which could have royal significance.
An inquest decided that the ring, dug up from a Godshill field, was treasure trove, which opens the way for a museum to buy it and put the ring on display. Half the proceeds of several thousand pounds would go to Mr Orme, 54, of Main Road, Havenstreet, and half to the landowner.
But if the British Museum or the IW Council do not want the 95 per cent pure silver gilt ring, tomato picker Mr Orme said he would like to be able to pay the landowner for his half and have the ring for himself.
Inquiring minds want to know
The first branch of "Jutes for Jesus"?
I was wondering the same thing. My guess is that it was lost in battle. Who would throw away gold, even if it belonged to your enemy.
My guess is that it was tossed onto the beach before the last 100 year storm, probably in the last few months or years since gold abrades very easily in a surf zone and this trinket had remarkable detail.
It's called holding all of humanity to the same standard.
A Google search on the name "Caedwalla" turns up just over 1000 references, one of which is this page, which says, in part:
"The history of the Anglo-Saxon conquest of the island is unclear. Documentary and archaeological evidence indicates that the earliest settlers in Kent and the Isle of Wight were distinct from those of other parts of south-east England. Bede recorded that these people were Jutes, and not Angles or Saxons. The initial phase of settlement took place in the late fifth or early sixth century. The island appears to have remained independent of the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms until the middle of the seventh century when Wulfhere, King of Mercia, captured it. Wulfhere promptly gave it to one of his vassals, Aethelwalh, King of the South Saxons. It has been suggested that several villages, such as Arreton, Brading, Carisbrooke and Freshwater, were founded during the reign of Aethelwalh. In 686, the West Saxon Caedwalla killed Aelthelwalh on the mainland. Caedwalla then invaded the Isle of Wight, exterminated the inhabitants and settled it with his own followers from the mainland. From that time the island became an integral part of the kingdom of Wessex."
Since another page, also found in the same search, shows that Caedwalla only reigned for two years, the answer to your question is very likely "yes".
Given that there is absolutely not one scintilla of evidence that indeed this belonged to a king or anyone else of significance other thatn its value, it is a far stretch to make that leap.
Yeah! What a cheap shot! So he killed one lousy quarter of the population of the Isle of Wight. And he's famous for that?
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Yup, the Brits have a law like that, it rewards the finder. I've seen a lot of articles refer to this 'reward'. It encourages people to bring all sorts of things to public view.
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